When hair is washed with modern shampoos it is usually cleaned very efficiently, and the process not only removes soil, but also tends to remove the natural sebum which serves to lubricate the hair. This removal of lubrication increases the friction between the individual hair fibers and promotes tangling, both in wet and dry hair. It also gives rise to a build-up of static charge on the hair, particularly from interactions with plastic combs and hair brushes. The net result is damage to the hair. Also damage to the outer surface of hair is a continuous process caused by such factors as washing, brushing, atmospheric influences, etc. This continuing damage is very much associated with surface friction and any influences to reduce friction and static charge will also reduce the amount of damage to the hair.
The absorption onto hair of quaternaries having long chain fatty portions as part of its molecule is the basis for most hair conditioner formulae. The fatty portion of the molecule, which is largely attached to the substrate, acts as a lubricant. The lubricating action makes combing easier. However, this substantivity of said quaternary compounds to the hair dulls the hair and builds up on the hair.
It has been found that present novel conditioners reduce the inter-fiber friction in the hair, neutralize any static charge build-up on the hair, and provide an exceptional shine to the hair.
In the field of hair conditioning, the prior art is replete with hair conditioning compositions containing one or more of the components of the present novel and unique shine hair conditioner compositions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,082 discloses compositions containing a stearyltrimethyl ammonium chloride conditioning agent and propylene glycol. U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,161 discloses a creme rinse containing cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride and hydroxyethyl cellulose thickening agent. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,740, a conditioning composition is disclosed which employs the combination of a mixed higher alkyl C.sub.12 -C.sub.18 trimethyl ammonium chloride, cetyl or stearyl alcohol and hydroxyethyl cellulose. U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,722 discloses the combination of cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, cetyl alcohol and propylene glycol in hair conditioning compositions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,326 discloses an oil free hair rinse composition which includes the quarternary ammonium compound combination of lauryl trimethyl ammonium chloride and dialkyl dimethyl quarternary ammonium chloride or bromide, along with propylene glycol and hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose acidified with citric acid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,917 discloses an oil-in-water emulsion hair conditioning composition which comprises the combination of C.sub.10 -C.sub.22 alkyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, mineral oil, cetyl alcohol and propylene glycol. U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,830 discloses a hair relaxer composition containing the combination of a higher alkyl trimethyl ammonium hydroxide in an amount of 2.5-10% by weight as a hair relaxer, cetyl or stearyl alcohol, mineral oil and propylene glycol. U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,558 discloses a hair spray composition containing cyclomethicone and a copolymer of vinyl pyrrolidone and vinyl acetate (PVP/VA) in a methylene chloride/isopropyl alcohol mixture. British Patent No. 1,540,862 discloses that PVP/VA copolymers form an undesirable brittle film on the hair which causes unpleasant dusting and a dandruff-like condition, and are difficult to rinse off the hair.
However, it is noted that none of the above cited patents discloses a hair conditioner composition comprising the specific mixture of a C.sub.14 -C.sub.22 alkyl trimethyl ammonium halide, a C.sub.14 -C.sub.22 alcohol, mineral oil or glyceryl monostearate, a cellulose polymer, PVP/VA, and a plasticizer such as lanolin acetate, glycerine, water soluble lanolin or propylene glycol as the essential ingredients emulsified in an aqueous medium.